It’s been quite a while since I posted my favorite songs and since I did a giveaway. Today my friends, we are doing both!

All of these songs are on my workout, work and train-riding playlist. On repeat. All good.

Jenny Lane – Fever *She is a friend of mine from high school who just released her first album and it is so fantastic! This song is perfect for running and should absolutely be added to a playlist for spin class!

Katy Perry – Dark Horse

Lady Gaga – Gypsy

Tegan and Sara – Closer

Hardwell – Apollo (ft. Amba Shepherd)

Eminem – The Monster (ft. Rihanna)

Pitbull – Timber (ft. Ke$ha)

Now let’s focus on the giveaway! Full disclosure: I have been getting a bunch of questions about the Mizuno Wave Sayonara (one of the shoes that I use for running and cross-training) so the increased interest sparked this giveaway. I also (selfishly) want help naming my kid and making the playlist for my wedding (so therefore you are required to answer both of those questions). Thanks for playing along! You have a chance of winning fun shoes as a result 🙂

I haven’t done a favorites post in 2 months! That doesn’t mean I haven’t heard, read and seen wonderful things all over the internet, it means I’m lazy.Today I bring to you awesome workout/running songs that have been staples on my playlist. As others are shuffled off, never to be heard again, these songs (of various genres) have stuck around for a while.

Marina and the Diamonds – How to Be a Heartbreaker

Fallout Boy – My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark

Little Mix – Wings

David Guetta (ft. Afrojack) – Lunar

Swedish House Mafia – Greyhound

Zedd (ft. Foxes) – Clarity

Bruce Springsteen – American land

Christina Aguilera – Fighter

Robyn – Dancing On My Own

Ingrosso & Alesso (ft. Ryan Tedder) – Calling (Lose My Mind)

Ivan Gough & Feenixpawl (ft. Geoergi Kay) – In My Mind (Axwell Mix)

What are your favorite songs? What songs help you run faster or work harder?

I signed up for a spin class at a gym in NJ near my house as part of a fundraiser with my friend Natasha. She knows the owner of the gym and SO KINDLY (and without me mentioning it) spoke to her and asked if they needed instructors I got in touch with the owner and I was put on the sub list! I know it is not as simple at many places, so I am very grateful. The next day, Stephanie, the owner of Hardbodyz Fitness (Verona, NJ) asked if I wanted to teach one of the classes during the fundraiser! I obviously said yes!

I was genuinely nervous to teach. I spent a few days going over the music and the cues for the class. I downloaded a $10 app on my phone and pieced it all together perfectly. I drank 2 vodkas on Saturday night and practiced the ride on my bike in my house and yelled to my dogs, “GIVE IT ALL THEY HAVE! CONQUER THIS HILL! YOU CAN DO THIS!” I was prepared (and drunk).

I got to the gym 15 minutes before class and asked the DJ (there was a live DJ because of the fundraiser) if he got my playlist from Stephanie. He didn’t. I tried not to panic when he said he would just “play some music.”

I put my phone (and backup notes on a piece of paper) in my bag, introduced myself to the people who showed up and off we went.

I decided to keep to the same outline I had planned (climb, active recovery, climb, active recovery). I obviously had to improvise with the music. Luckily, it was really easy. I picked up the first few beats of the song and went from there. It ended up being an awesome, sweaty 30 minutes. When I was leading the cool down I was laughing at myself in my head about how nervous I was. I guess being a participant for 8ish years in spin classes helped me teach a class the way I would like to be taught. We climbed, we sprinted, we worked hard but most importantly, we had fun.

All of my fears were squashed!

My new spin shoes made me feel even more like a professional.

I was able to do the entire class while teaching and talking without any issues!

I did not feel like an asshole giving cues to the class, i.e. telling them, “PUSH HARDER” and “YOUR GOAL IS ON TOP OF THIS HILL. DO YOU HAVE 60 SECONDS OF ASS-KICKING CLIMBING TO REACH IT??”

I am happy my first teaching experience is over and done with. Now I MUST share the KICK-ASS playlist that I was SUPPOSED to use (and will use the next chance I get)!

Spin 2/10/13(30 min)

Warmup

Black Eyed Peas – Pump It (3:33) Pick up the pace on each chorus.

Climb 1

Youngblood Hawke & Tiesto – We Come Running (cut to 4:00) Stretch and explain class itinerary during buildup. Seated climb except during the chorus. Each time you return to the saddle, maintain the resistance. End in a standing climb.

Wings – Live & Let Die (3:00) Crank up resistance. At each chorus, transition to a standing climb and pick up the pace as much as you can (short intervals but the work should be intense) 0:47-1:20, 1:37-1:50, 2:34-end.

Meet Ashley

Welcome to Running Bun! I am Ashley, a working-mom who loves running and training for races, attempting yoga inversions, a strong cocktail, and a good dose of sarcasm. This blog is where I share a lot of random thoughts about the above with some parenting woes mixed in for good measure.